The International Wushu Federation (IWUF) is pleased to announce that wushu is one of eight sports nominated to move on to the next stage of the application process for addition to the Olympic Programme for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Out of 26 applicants, wushu was selected (along with baseball and softball, squash, karate, bowling, climbing, roller sports and surfing) to move on to the second stage of the application

progress; IWUF will submit further details about the sport of wushu by July 22. The leaders of IWUF will attend an interview with the Tokyo 2020 office on August 7 and 8, and the final decision will be made by the IOC in Rio de Janiero in August, 2016.

IWUF President Zaiqing Yu stated upon hearing the announcement, "We're very excited to be shortlisted for Tokyo 2020, and we will continue ourkeen efforts to get wushu added to the Olympic Programme. This is a good sign that wushu is being globally recognized as a fast-growing sport, and one that's popular especially among youth.Wushu/taiji are also very popular in Japan, so I believe that making the sport part of the Tokyo 2020 Games would undoubtedly add a dynamic appeal that will attract great interest from the Japanese public."

IWUF Executive Vice President Anthony Goh also remarked, "Wushu has evolved as a martial art in China over thousands of years, and made popular around the globe through icons like Bruce Lee and Jet Li in the past half-century. Now, 25 years after the Federation's founding in 1990, IWUF promotes the modern sport of wushu to over a million taiji practitioners, a growing number of elite international athletes, and champion full-contact fighters. Wushu promotes health, friendship and mutual respect. Wushu'sfast action has thrilled millions of TV viewers in China; it's poised now as a broadcast-ready sport, and also enjoys great popularity onYoutube among a dedicated, young tech-savvy audience. IWUF is confident that wushu is an ideal sport for Tokyo 2020 that will engage Japanese fans, appeal to viewers around the world, and create an energy that global youth deeply connects with."